Do I Own My WordPress Content?

October 22, 2015

As a WordPress specialist, I get asked this question from time to time by clients that are interested in using the Content Management System. The short answer is YES, the WordPress software is open source which is free to use, distribute and modify. You own all the work you put into it.

So why is this question being asked? It’s because there is a BIG difference between using the free open source WordPress software and using WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a web hosting solution running the WordPress software. They offer free hosting and premium upgrades. It is all setup and maintained by the WordPress team. In return for using their hosting platform you must agree to their Terms of Service, which gives them a license to use the content you create. You still retain ownership, however, your content is license to WordPress.com for their distribution.

If you are using the WordPress software with your own hosting then there is nothing to worry about. You own all content and are not giving WordPress.com a license to distribute. Most websites using WordPress are using their own hosting, and this is how we build all of our WordPress sites at Mainsail Creative.

Things got a little tricky since WordPress decided to use the same name for their hosting and software, however they are two different solutions from the Automattic team.

Summary

You own all content when using the WordPress Content Management System

If you are using WordPress.com hosting, you still own the content, but give WordPress.com a license to distribute

If using your own hosting and WordPress, you own all the content and are not giving WordPress a license to distribute

Hope that cleared some things up about WordPress content ownership. If you have further questions, or are considering using WordPress, please reach out to us and we’d be happy to chat.

Connect

Fast, Free Quote

General Information

FAQ

What are my payment options?

Payment can be made using any major debit or credit card. Recurring payments are set up through a secured web portal. PayPal is not an option.

Where do you store backups? For how long?

Backups are stored securely on Amazon S3 servers for 30 days, after which they are deleted.

What is covered in WordPress Email Support

You may open a support ticket directly from your WordPress dashboard or by emailing webmaster@mainsailcreative.com. You can send as many support tickets as you would like each month. We'll send back the answer to your question, or sometimes refer you to an article for assistance in a timely manner. Any support request that require additional work (such as coding/content/administration updates) will be provided at an estimate that we communicate.

What happens if a plugin/theme update breaks my site?

The simple answer is that we fix it. We go out of our way to ensure compatibility before we update plugins, themes, or WordPress versions, but sometimes the results of an update are unexpected and things break. In those rare scenarios, we quickly repair the issue and contact the plugin or theme author so they can work on patching the issue.

What is your cancellation policy?

You are in full control of your subscription, and you can cancel at any time from the client area with the click of a button (no forced phone call or awkward sales pitch).

What is your refund policy?

We offer a 100% fully guaranteed refund during the first 30 days of service. Once 30 days have past, refunds are prorated for the remaining time left in the month.

What if my site gets hacked?

If your website is compromised, we will quickly restore it to the latest un-compromised backup, free of charge.